Text b the rolling stones

The Rolling Stones are by now the longest lived rock-and-roll band to remain consistently popular throughout their career. The group came together in London, where singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards joined with guitarist Brian Jones and a rhythm section then consisting of pianist Ian Stewart, bassist Dick Таylor and drummer Mick Avory at a debut show at the Marquee on July 12, 1962.

The Stones’ first really successful single, however, was a version of Buddy Holly's “Not Fade Away” which reached no. 3 in England and became their first American chart entry. Their next five U.K. singles were all hit no. 1 and by 1965 they had established themselves as second only to The Beatles as the most popular British rock group, a position they held until The Beatles broke up.

The important factor setting The Stones apart from their lesser competition was that they successfully moved from being a blues-rock band to being a band that performed primarily original pop/rock material with a blues base. Jagger and Richards turned into songwriting team as early as 1964, and by 1965 such Stones hits as “The Last Time” and “(I Can't Get Nо) Satisfaction” were scoring on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Stones toured extensively in the mid-‘60s. They attributed success mostly to Mick Jagger, who became the most prominent singer in rock. They followed many of the trends of the 60s and their involvement with drugs reduced their ability to play in the U.S. after 1966. By that time, like The Beatles and others, their musical horizons had expanded to include a variety of eclectic styles. Unlike The Beatles, however, The Stones were never really comfortable with psychedelia, and after “Their Satanic Majestic Request”, they returned to a more basic hard rock style.

In 1969 thе Stones re-emerged as a concert band after firing Brian Jones (who died shortly after) and hiring guitarist Mick Taylor, who in turn was replaced by Ron Wood in 1976. They released the single “Honky Tonk Women” and the album “Let it Bleed” and went on an American concert tour. After The Beatles split the following year, The Stones were undisputed in their claim to being “the greatest rock-and-roll band in the world”.

In the ‘70s The Stones toured every three years and released a series of albums, despite the heroin addiction of guitarist Keith Richards. The drug problem came to a head when Richards was arrested in Toronto in 1977. He subsequently cleaned up, however, and took a more active role in The Stones creative efforts, resulting in improved albums in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The band played a world tour 1981 – 1982 and was active till mid-‘80s, but when Jagger made a solo album in 1985 and then refused to tour behind The Stones’ 1986 “Dirty Work” album, their long career together seemed to be over. But in 1987 The Stones were in discussions about a reunion. The result of these discussions were a new album “Steel Wheels” which was recorded and released in 1989 and another world tour lasting into 1990.